UK's best castles

What's it like?
The Queen's weekend pied à terre is the world's biggest occupied castle. Tour the state rooms and apartments, stuffed with priceless paintings and fine antiques. Ten monarchs are buried in the 15th-century St George's Chapel.

What's the story?
The castle has housed royalty for 1,000 years  William the Conquerer picked the lofty site to protect against western invasion of London. It was the Parliamentarians' HQ during the Civil War, and was tarted up by Charles II during the Restoration. George IV, the art-loving glutton, was responsible for most of its current interiors. Refurbishment after a 1992 fire cost £37 million.